The Delhi government has turned down the Centre’s request for converting the Bawana stadium into a temporary jail facility in view of the farmers protest, AAP minister Kailash Gahlot said on Tuesday.
“The demands of the farmers are genuine. It is the constitutional right of every citizen to make a peaceful protest. It is therefore, incorrect to arrest the farmers,” he said in his reply to the Centre.
Gahlot further mentioned in his letter that the Union government should rather invite the farmers for talks and try to find a solution for their problems.
“The country’s farmers are the ‘annadatas’ and treating them this way by arresting them is like rubbing salt on their wounds. We cannot be a party to this decision of the central government . Hence, approval cannot be given for converting a stadium into a jail,” the home minister said.
In view of the farmers’ march to Delhi, security in the city has been stepped up, especially in the New Delhi zone with increased picketing and police checks being conducted at multiple points.
The DMRC has also closed certain gates of selected metro stations. The stations include Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, Patel Chowk, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Janpath, Khan Market and Lok Kalyan Marg.
“Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly. Further update on station closures (if any) shall be intimated,” the Delhi Metro said on ‘X’.
Reports claimed the agitating farmers tried to push away barricades at the Shambhu border at Ambala on the GT road. Several farmers were also detained by police, while tear gas was used to disperse the agitators.